Heartbeat Connection

1.Booked and Busted

This was Luo Ye’s first time at the police station, and it wasn't by choice—he had been brought in. Completely bewildered, he had been at home playing games when two officers entered, handcuffed him politely, and invited him for a ride to the station.

Sitting in the interrogation room, Luo Ye stared blankly at the officer in front of him, innocence written all over his face.

“Name?”

“Luo Ye.”

“Gender?”

“Male.”

“Occupation?”

“Student.”

“Where do you study?”

“Jiangcheng University. I’m supposed to register tomorrow.”

The officer looked him over.

“You’ve got quite a handsome face; doesn’t seem like you’d be the type to get into trouble.”

The officer asked, “Do you know why you’re here?”

Luo Ye shook his head quickly.

“You don’t know?” The officer eyed him suspiciously.

“Well, then explain why you were trespassing.”

The officer suspected that Luo Ye had improper intentions, especially after speaking with the resident of the apartment. The girl living there was stunning, after all.

“Trespassing?” Luo Ye was baffled. Seeing the genuine confusion in his eyes, the officer seemed puzzled too. “Why were you at Unit 614, Building 5, Teacher’s Apartments?”

“614? That’s my home.”

The officer glanced at his documents and then angrily said, “This is the police station. Honesty will get you leniency; resistance will bring harshness. So, why were you in 614?”

“...That’s really my home,” Luo Ye insisted, frustrated that the truth wasn’t being believed. Was his ideal college life about to end before it even started?

“The owner of 614 is a professor at Jiangcheng University. He rented the place to a student—a female student, not you.”

“Rented? A professor?” Luo Ye’s expression brightened. “Is the professor named Gu Mingxuan?”

“Well, you’ve done your homework.”

“Gu Mingxuan is my brother.”

The officer paused, checked the documents again, and said, “This is the police station. Your surname is Luo, his is Gu. Don’t make up stories here.”

Luo Ye thought for a moment; Gu Mingxuan should be on a flight right now, likely with his phone off, which was why the police couldn’t reach him.

Luo Ye had just been accepted into Jiangcheng University, a decision largely driven by his high school crush’s promise that she would be with him if he got in. Plus, his brother Gu Mingxuan was a professor there, making things convenient. However, his brother had left for a flight abroad to pursue his fourth Ph.D., leaving Luo Ye to navigate the start of his college life alone. He had gone to stay in the teacher’s apartment that had been assigned to his brother—Unit 614, Building 5—only to find it had been rented out, and to a girl, no less. She must have heard noises upon returning and quietly called the police, leading to this misunderstanding.

Luo Ye realized with a resigned sigh that he’d be stuck at the police station for another three hours, waiting for his brother’s flight to land.

Soon, an older officer entered the room, his presence suggesting experience and authority. The younger officer stepped aside and greeted him with, “Sir.”

Luo Ye was shocked. The chief himself was here to interrogate him? Even if he was innocent, this made him a little uneasy.

The senior officer handed some documents to the younger one, whose expression changed upon reviewing them.

It was Luo Ye’s file: the son of fallen heroes, both his parents having died in the line of duty, raised by his aunt, and the cousin of Gu Mingxuan. Though only cousins, they were as close as brothers, having grown up together. No wonder the chief came in person.

“Young man, this was a misunderstanding on our part.”

Luo Ye mumbled a timid, “It’s okay,” not daring to speak louder.

The chief gave him a kind look and encouraged him, “Jiangcheng University is a prestigious school. Study well and serve your country in the future.”

Luo Ye nodded, then politely declined the chief’s offer for a stay, opting only for a meal before leaving.

The night air in Jiangcheng was cool, and the September sky was especially crisp, yet Luo Ye’s mood was far from bright. Classes were starting the next day, but all nearby hotels were fully booked, and the teacher’s apartment was no longer an option. What a mess. He had traveled over 1,700 kilometers from the capital to start his college life in Jiangcheng, only to spend half a day at the police station and end up without a place to stay. A truly "perfect" beginning.

As a light drizzle began to fall, Luo Ye took cover under a tree, pulling out his phone to share the day's events with his high school crush. Yet, she didn’t respond. He scrolled through their chat history, letting out a sigh. Ever since he had told her about his acceptance into Jiangcheng University, she hadn’t replied. Maybe… it had all been in his head from the start. Deep down, he knew she’d only used it as an excuse to reject him. If he kept holding on to such childish hopes, the fault lay with him. After all, it had been three whole months since high school graduation—time enough for any fleeting feelings to fade. Now a university student, he knew it was time to move on and begin anew.

With the rain persisting, Luo Ye decided to head to an internet café nearby to pass the night. He found one conveniently located across from the university, making it easy to head straight to registration in the morning. After logging into the café's computer, he opened up his writing app and began typing. It turned out he wasn’t just an ordinary student—he was a somewhat popular web novelist, writing under the pen name "Fallen Leaves Return to Roots." In just three months over the summer, his first romance novel had become a hit, earning him a comfortable income, enough to relieve any financial worries.

The next day, the rain continued to fall as Jiangcheng University’s opening day dawned. Luo Ye decided to visit the teacher’s apartment once more. Standing outside Unit 614, he knocked gently. No response. After a moment’s hesitation, he used his key to open the door. His suitcase from the previous night was still in the living room, with a note left on top: “Sorry, I just recently rented this place too. With the landlord overseas, I heard noises inside and thought it was a break-in.” The handwriting was neat and elegant. Luo Ye had been so engrossed in his game that he hadn’t noticed anyone coming in—he supposed he had deserved to be taken in by the police.

Slipping the note into his bag, he left the apartment and headed to the university’s entrance. Despite it being the first day of classes, the rain only grew heavier. A senior student approached, holding an umbrella.

“Freshman? Let’s see your admission letter.”

Luo Ye handed it over, and the senior took a glance.

“Luo Ye, Computer Science.” She took a closer look at his handsome face, her demeanor growing more enthusiastic.

“Come on, freshman, follow me.”

With her guidance, Luo Ye completed his registration and found his assigned dorm—Building 8, Room 515. After declining the senior’s offer to join her for a meal, he bid her farewell and stepped into his room. His future three roommates had yet to arrive; he’d heard that while out-of-town freshmen were to register on September 1st, those from within the province would arrive the next day.

After tidying up his bed, Luo Ye decided to wait for his roommates to arrive the next day before making any changes to the dorm layout. Suddenly, his phone rang. Seeing Gu Mingxuan’s name on the caller ID, Luo Ye answered.

"Xiao Luo, I need to tell you something: don't stay in the teacher's apartment. I've rented it out for the next two years while I’m abroad."

“...I went there yesterday.”

There was a brief silence on the other end, followed by, “She didn’t cause you any trouble, did she?”

“No, just got me hauled into the station.”

“Hah, that’s just like her.”

“Xiao Luo, she’s one of my students at Jiangcheng University. You’ll run into her sooner or later. She’s a good girl, though not exactly easy to get along with.”

After hanging up, Luo Ye stepped out onto the balcony, letting a ray of sunlight warm his face. The rain had stopped. He decided to go for a walk.

Luo Ye strolled around Jiangcheng University, eventually arriving at the library, the most magnificent building on campus, proudly facing the main gate—a true symbol of the school’s prestige.

Standing at the library entrance, Luo Ye found himself pondering as he watched the facial recognition system operate automatically. Just then, a tall girl with long black straight hair, dressed in loose jeans, walked past him. And despite the loose fit of her jeans, her long legs were unmistakable—some things clothes simply can't hide.

Luo Ye didn’t see her face, but her silhouette alone sparked the imagination. Her hair clung to her slightly damp clothes, and the white laptop bag she carried bore traces of raindrops, clearly showing she had just come in from the rain.

"Excuse me, senior!" Luo Ye called out.

The girl turned slightly, casting a calm glance in his direction.

“Are you calling me?” she asked softly, her voice gentle.

Luo Ye was taken aback by her appearance. He had heard of the beautiful women in Jiangcheng but hadn’t expected to encounter such an extraordinary one so soon. Even without makeup, she exuded a graceful elegance that could easily rival the fabled beauties of old tales.

Reserved and inexperienced in romance, Luo Ye found himself tongue-tied.

“Senior… could you… help me with… the face scan?”

The girl paused briefly, then stepped in front of the facial recognition system.

The electronic gate clicked open.

“You go first.”

“Thank you, senior.”

Luo Ye entered, blushing like a shy young boy. The girl watched him curiously, surprised that he had really just needed her help with the scan. To be honest, Luo Ye was the fifth freshman she had encountered that day, but the first four had all tried to get her contact information.

“Zhou Zhou, why are you in such a hurry?” Another girl jogged over. Compared to the first, she was less striking but still a rare beauty. Her name was Qin Yuwen, a third-year student in the School of Management and widely regarded as the school's beauty. Her companion, Su Baizhou, was the president of the university’s student council, known across campus as the sole ‘ice beauty’—a stunning rarity in the computer science field, and a workaholic with unmatched allure.

“There’s a lot to handle with the new students,” Su Baizhou replied calmly.

“By the way, what happened with that incident yesterday? Did they catch the thief?”

“It was just a misunderstanding,” Su Baizhou said, her expression unchanged. The police had already explained the whole situation to her.